Supporter



April 13, 1965 G. R. BORGESON SUPPORTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 11,1962 FIG.3

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4 INVENTOR.

GORDON R. BORGESON BY 2.4m rm FIG.

FIG. 2

ATTORNEYS April 13, 1965 Filed Oct. 11, 1962 FIG.5

G. R. BORGESON SUPPORTER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6 FIG. 7

FIG. 8 FIG. 9

INVENTOR GORDON R. BORGESON MfM ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice3,177,550 Patented Apr. 13, 1965 3,177,550 SUPPORTER Gordon R. Borgeson,1019 N. 15th St., Niles, Mich. Filed Oct. 11, 1962, Ser. No. 229,948Claims. (Cl. 24245) The present invention relates to a supporter andmore particularly to a supporter for ladies hose and similar wearingapparel.

The conventional supporter for ladies hose and the like has been in usewithout change for a great many years and consists basically of aU-shaped metal clip hinged to a strap of fabric on which is secured anundercut knob over which the clip is placed. The garment is attached tothe supporter by disengaging the clip from the knob, placing the knobbeneath or on one side of the garment and replacing the clip over theknob in the undercut portion thereof, thereby clamping the garmentbetween the clip and knob. While this type of supporter is satisfactoryin holding the garment firmly in place, it has certain inherentdisadvantages, including bulkiness which often is apparent through theoutergarments, necessity of using both hands in effectively andconveniently securing the garment, damage or discoloration to thegarment, and injury or irritation to the skin of the wearer. Further,since the conventional type of supporter consists of several distinctparts, including a preformed metal clip, a rubber or plastic knob and astrap of fabric or the like, several distinct fabricating and assemblingoperations or steps are required in the production of these formersupporters, thus resulting in increased cost and frequently in astructure which is easily damaged during laundering of the garment towhich it is attached. It is therefore one of the principal objects ofthe present invention to provide a one-piece supporter for ladies hoseand other wearing apparel, which is simple in construction and operationand which can readily be attached to the garment to be supported therebyby an easy, onehanded manipulation.

Another object of the invention is to provide a supporter of theaforesaid type which can easily be fabricated in a single, simplemanufacturing operation and which can be readily attached to thesupporting and supported garmentsrwithout tearing, snagging or otherwisedamaging delicate cloth or fabric.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a fully flexiblesupporter for hose and similar garments which is compact and relativelythin and flat so that it will not cause lumps or unevenness in the outergarments of the wearer and which is nonirritating and comfortable to thewearer.

A further object is to provide a durable and versatile supporter of theaforesaid type which will withstand laundering in all conventional orstandard laundry appliances, without damage thereto, or to the garmentsto which it is attached, or to the laundering appliances.

Additional objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the following description and accompanying drawings,wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the present supporter showing it inits unfastened position;

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view of the present supporter;

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the supporter shown in thepreceding figures;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical side elevational and partial cross sectional viewof the supporter shown in the preceding figures, the section being takenon line 4-4 of FIG- URE 2, illustrating the manner in which thesupporter functions to support a garment;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged front elevational view of one element of thepresent supporter;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the element of the supportershown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a rear elevational view of the element shown in FIGURES 5and 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of the other principal element ofthe present supporter; and

FIGURE 9 is a side elevational view of the element shown in FIGURE 8.

Referring more specifically to the drawings and to FIG- URE 1 inparticular, numeral 10 designates the present supporter generally, whichconsists of a front element or collar 12, and a rear element or button14, the collar being secured to a front strap 16, and the button to arear strap 18. The two straps are joined together at the U- shapedportion indicated by numeral 20 and, as originally formed, form onecontinuous strap or member. A buckle, clasp or fixture, shown in brokenlines at numeral 22, may be used in attaching the present supporter to asupporting garment, such as a girdle or garter belt, or the U-shapedportion 20 or the upper ends of straps 16 and 18 may be sewed, stapledor otherwise secured to the garment directly rather than by the use ofthe clip or fixture 22. The various means of securing supporter 10 tothe garment may be selected to meet requirements.

As illustrated in FIGURES 2, 3 and 4, collar 12 slips over button 14with the disc-shaped face 24 of the button projecting through centerhole 26 of the collar. The discshaped face 24 is the same diameter as oronly slightly smaller than hole 26. The collar 12 and button 14 arepreferably formed integrally with straps 16 and 18; however, the collarand button may be formed separately and joined to the end of therespective strap by cementing or any other suitable securing means. Thecollar is generally flat and disc-shaped with a frusto-conically shapedhole 26 extending therethrough with the larger end thereof on the rearside 30, and the smaller end on the front side 32. The front end of hole26 is tapered slightly outwardly to prevent the adjacent collar portionfrom tearing, snagging or otherwise damaging the fabric held by thesupporter. Strap 16 is secured to and/or formed integrally with collar12 at the rear side thereof so that the planes of the rear surface ofthe collar and strap are the same, as clearly seen in FIGURES 3 and 6.The button 14 consists of the disc-shaped face 24 connected to base 34by a neck 36, formed integrally with the discshaped face 24 and base 34,and strap 13 is connected to base 34 of the button, preferably by beingformed integrally therewith at the rear side thereof so that the planesof the rear side of the button and of strap 18 are the same. Disc-shapedface 24' is provided with beveled peripheral edges 38 and 40 to assistin engaging and dis engaging the button from collar 12, as thedisc-shaped face 24 is pushed through and removed from hole 26.

The present supporter may be made from a variety of different materials,preferably of plastic; however, certain metals may be usedsatisfactorily. The plastics which have been found satisfactory includephenolics and derivatives, Teflon, nylon and polypropylenes. The metalsinclude stainless steel, aluminum and aluminum alloys, copper and coppealloys. When the supporters are made of plastic, they are preferablymolded as a one-piece unit, including collar 12, straps 16 and 18 andbutton 14, with the straps 16 and 18 being continuous and lyingend-to-end. The straps are folded to the position shown in FIGURES 1through 4 after the supporter is fully formed and ready for attaching toa garment. When the collar and button are formed of metal, a suitablestrap of fabric or plastic material is attached thereto by any suitablesecuring means such as cement, sewing or clamping.

When the supporter formed in the foregoing manner has been attached toan undergarment and is ready for 3 Y r i j c H use, the top of thestocking,;for example, is placed between collar 14 and button 12,'a nd'the collar and button pushed together with suflicient force .to pressthe discshaped face 24 through hole 26 with the fabric of the hoseextending around the disc andthrough hole- 26,- as,

V V, s a 4 I a, button and the small end being only slightly larger than:the disc-shapedface of, said button and extending subillustrated inFIGURE,4.- Tension on. the fabric causes it to draw tightly over thebutton and around the edges of the collar defining hole 26, thus firmlyholding the hose or other garment in place in the supporter It'isapparent that the present supportercan befreadily' clamped to'the thecollar on the other, and pressing =the two together, without any,additional,manipulation'being required as in the conventional,or'standard type of. supporter. When" [the stocking is to be released fromthe supporter, button 14' is merely pushed with the finger or thumb fromhole 26', thusre'leasingthe fabric from both the collar and the buttonand permitting, it to slip from the supporter.

The present button and collar elements can be used by 1. A supporter ofplastic material for hose and similar" garments, comprising a button'havinga base and'ai discshaped face with beveled peripheral edges andacylindrical-shaped neck connectingsaid base and face, a discshapedcollar having a flat outer surface and round center hole therein forreceiving said face, the poition'of said collar defining said hole.bein'g'frusto-conically shiaped with thelargeiend facing said buttonand the small end being substantially the same' size asthe-'discashap'ed vface 40 of said button and extending substantially tosaid outer surface, and a strap joined integrally, at one end to therear edge ofsaidcolla v and integrally at the other end 7 to the base ofsaid button and beingfolded upon itself. 2. A supporter of plasticmaterial for hoseand similar garments, comprising a button having a baseand a discshaped face with beveled peripheral edges and a neckconnecting; said base and face, a collar having a flat outer 7 surfaceand around center hole therein for' receivingsaid face, the portion ofsaid collar defining said hole being frusto-conically, shaped with 'the[large end facing said' :not supported by 1O hose by merely placing thebutton on one side thereof and") stantially to said outer surface, andstraps joined integrally to the rear edge of said collar and integrallyto the rear edge of said button and being connected to one another. .3.A supporter for hose andvsirnilar garments, comprising a button having abase and a'disc-shaped face with beveled peripheral edges and a'neckconnecting said base 'and'fiace, a; collar having a flat outer surfaceand round hole therein for receiving said'disc-shaped face, the portionof said collar defining said hole being' frusto-conically shaped withthelarge end fa cing said buttonandthe small 'end being substantially thesame size as the disc shaped face of said button andextendingsubstantially to said outer surface; and supporting meanstherefor joined toa said, collar and to the base of said buttont 7 4; Ina supportera button element having a base and w a disc-shaped face withbeveled peripheral edges and a cylindrical-shaped neck connecting saidbase and face, a

disc-shaped collar element having a flat} outer surface and round centerhole therein for receiving said button, the

portion of said collar element defining said hole being frusto-conicallyshaped with the large end 'fiacing' said button element and the smallendbeing substantially the same size as the disc-shaped face of said buttonelement and extending substantially'tot said outer surface,; and meansfor attaching one of said elements to a supporting structure.

5 Ina supporter: a button element having a base and 'a disc-shapedface-with beveled peripheral edges and a cylindrical-shapedneckconnecting said base .and face,

and; a' disc-shaped collar element' havinga flat outer surface and roundcenter hole; therein for receiving, said button, the portion of saidcollar element defining said hole being frusto-conically shaped with.the largeend facing said button element and the small end beingsubstantially thesamesize as the disc-shaped face of said button elementand extendingsubstantially to said outer surface; 7 a

' f References- Cited'by the E aminer UNITED STATES PATENTS" V 739,766"9/03 'White. v f

11/42 Nash' 24-445 FOREIGN PATENTS I, STOCKINQ'Pri mary Examiner. I J.Examiner,

1. A SUPPORTER OF PLASTIC MATERIAL FOR HOSE AND SIMILAR GARMENTS,COMPRISING A BUTTON HAVING A BASE AND A DISCSHAPED FACE WITH BEVELEDPERIPHERAL EDGES AND A CYLINDRICAL-SHAPED NECK CONNECTING SAID BASE ANDFACE, A DISCSHAPED COLLAR HAVING A FLAT OUTER SURFACE AND ROUND CENTERHOLE THEREIN FOR RECEIVING SAID FACE, THE PORTION OF SAID COLLARDEFINING SAID HOLE BEING FRUSTO-CONICALLY SHAPED WITH THE LARGE ENDFACING SAID BOTTON AND THE SMALL END BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME SIZEAS THE DISC-SHAPED FACE OF SAID BUTTON AND EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY TOSAID OUTER SURFACE, AND A STRAP JOINED INTEGRALLY, AT ONE END TO THEREAR EDGE OF SAID COLLAR AND INTEGRALLY AT THE OTHER END TO THE BASE OFSAID BUTTON AND BEING FOLDED UPON ITSELF.